30 types of hammers and crucial design elements

The first hammer dates back to 2,400,000 BC when stones were used to exert brute force.

From the no-nonsense sledgehammer to the delicate mechanics hammer any balance between brute force and precision impact can be created.

Using metal bars heated up to 2350°F the process of creating a hammerhead is challenging to say the least.

There is a basic formula for calculating impact force which relates to the weight of the hammerhead, length of the hammer handle, downward force and gravity.

When we use the term hammer we all know what to expect, what they are used for but do you realise how many types of hammers there are and their crucial design elements? In its most basic form you can describe your hammer as a handheld tool which is simply used to strike another object. The first hammers date back to 2,400,000 BC when stones were used as the hammerheads then we have the first real modern day hammer with stones attached to sticks via strips of leather and animal sinew (dating back to 30,000 BC). However, it was only really in the Bronze Age that we saw the creation of the hammers styles which we see today and often take for granted.

Bronze Age hammerheads

There is historical evidence to suggest that bronze/copper hammerheads were used around 3,000 BC in an area of the world we now know as Iraq. In reality this was the first major breakthrough in the design of the modern day hammerhead allowing for much tougher materials to be used in construction. Indeed archaeological digs from 200 BC show that the ingenious Romans had created a range of different types of hammerhead with even a “claw hammer” dating back to 75 AD discovered during Roman settlement digs.

By very definition, the fact that a “claw hammer” was available in Roman times would seem to indicate that metal nails were also a common construction tool. What we see today is very often taken for granted but we do know that the range of modern day hammers can be traced back thousands of years.

Design of a hammer

While there are many different variations on the traditional hammer they all have two main components which are the head and the handle. The shape, size and material used for each of these elements will vary depending upon their use. Believe it or not the force created by a hammer blow is directly proportional to the weight of the hammerhead, the length of the hammer handle, the force with which it is driven down (or up) and good old-fashioned gravity. We take many things for granted in the modern world but the ability to balance good old-fashioned brute force together with accuracy is not easy.

Creating the hammerhead

Can you imagine the individual force drawn down upon a hammerhead not to imagine the cumulative force over the life of a hammerhead? These elements of the hammer are created during a process called “hot forging” which sees a steel bar heated to temperatures approaching 2350°F (1300°C). This process softens the steel bars which can then be manipulated into the shape of a hammerhead using an array of dies. One of the dies is static while another is brought down with force creating immense pressure which moulds the molten steel into the required shape.

This is repeated numerous times eventually, bit by bit, creating the finished article. As you might expect when excess molten steel is forced out of the dies it can form what is known as “flash” which is effectively unwanted steel compromising the shape of the hammerhead. This “flash” has to be removed using trimming dies which clamp the desired shape cutting off the excess material due to the enormous force at which the dies are brought together. As a final quality check each hammerhead is cooled and any rough spots are removed manually.

Hardened hammerheads

When you bear in mind the excessive force which a hammerhead will experience during its lifetime you might suspect this is not the end of the process. In order to prevent chipping and damage to the hammerhead, which takes the full force of the kinetic energy created by downforce, the hammerheads are heated and then cooled very quickly which changes the structure of the steel material. This ensures that the impact area has a different type of grain to the rest of the hammerhead and will not be compromised when used.

The final process is known as “shot blasting” which cleans and smooths the hammerheads using small steel particles which are fired at great speed effectively smoothing the outer surface. Hey presto, the hammerhead is finished and can be painted and polished.

Hammer handles

The most common types of hammer handles are wood and metal with the wood type simply shaved into the desired shape on a lathe. After this process the wooden handle is clamped and a diagonal slot created at the top which is where the hammerhead and handle will be united. The process for a metal hammer handle is very similar to the creation of the hammerhead with steel bars heated to extreme temperatures and molten steel forced into shaped dies. Other materials can be added to the centre of the hammers to give greater strength and longevity.

Once the hammer handles have been completed the wooden type is secured using wedges and steel pins with the metal handles connected using epoxy resin. The finished product will then be examined both from a visual point of view and tested for quality control. While all elements of the hammer making process are important it is the hardening of the impact area which is perhaps most vital – from a safety point of view as well as value for money for customers.

30 popular types of hammers

There are many different types of hammers which are all shaped perfectly to create an end result – the list includes:-

Claw hammer

So simple yet so effective it is no surprise that the claw hammer is perhaps the most widely used hammer today. Popular in the construction industry and DIY market the hammerhead is specifically curved with one side used to hammer nails into a material while the other side, split head, is used to extract nails.

Brick hammer

Often referred to as a stonemason’s hammer the brick hammer is designed to act as both a traditional hammer and a simple chisel tool. The blunt end of the hammer is used to split stones and hard masonry while the chisel shape can be used to round off the edges and smaller pieces of stone.

Framing hammer

It is quite easy to confuse the framing hammer with a simple claw hammer but there are some subtle differences. The framing hammer is much heavier, around double the weight of a traditional claw hammer, and designed to bring down extreme force on large nails. The much longer handle together with the gripped impact head ensure less slippage when hammering in large nails. The claw element is also straight as opposed to curved with more focus on separating materials such as skirting boards, etc as opposed to extracting nails.

Welder’s hammer

While hammer welding itself may be an art form which is fast disappearing from the modern day world, a welder’s hammer is a very useful reminder of days gone by. This particular tool is used to remove waste material from round a weld with both a pointed tool and a chisel tool on either side of the hammerhead.

Electrician’s hammer

While many different hammers are perfectly refined replicas of the traditional claw hammer there are some subtle differences. The so-called electricians hammer has the claw tool at a different angle and a polished tempered steel head for impact force. The handle is made of high strength fibreglass which is able to absorb the shock of multiple impacts.

Drywall hammer

The drywall hammer is an innovative tool which is perhaps a lot more useful than it looks at first glance. The traditional impact head is bevelled with a waffle shape allowing you to hammer in nails on a drywall without breaking the outer layer. It also adds a bevelled effect to the wall which can be useful when adding new layers of plaster, etc. The other side of the hammerhead has a simple nail extractor, an axe-shaped sharpened edge for scoring and a useful hook to allow multiple people to carry strips of drywall using their hammers.

Soft face hammer

A soft face hammerhead is made of non-ferrous materials such as wood, plastic and is very basic with two impact areas and a shaft which is often made of wood, rubber or fibreglass. The “soft” materials used reduce what is known as bounceback as they are able to absorb the vast majority of the impact energy. In many ways they are a smaller version of the traditional mallet but for use in more delicate situations.

Tack hammer

The tack hammer is used when securing upholstery using either small nails or specialist tacks. The two sides of the hammerhead can vary between the traditional smaller impact area and one which is magnetised for help in positioning the tack or a small nail remover similar to a claw hammer. These hammers are relatively small and perfect for delicately securing upholstery.

Sledge hammer

The sledgehammer does not need much introduction! With a relatively large head and extended handle it is possible to gain significant impact speed which is perfect for tasks such as breaking rocks and driving fence posting into the ground. The hammerhead is larger than normal, traditionally made of metal and can take extreme impact force.

Blacksmith’s hammer

The blacksmith’s hammer has an interesting history all of its own which goes back many centuries. Effectively it is designed for multipurpose forging allowing a blacksmith to bend and chip away at extremely hot metal materials to create a specific product. This is a specialist tool and is not designed for traditional use.

Bushing hammer

A bushing hammer in its simplest form is a vital masonry tool which allows stone and concrete to be texturised. These tools have an array of small pyramid-like designs on the hammerhead which imprint onto the concrete and stone. They are used for decorative purposes or to allow greater traction/adhesion were further work may be required.

Lineman’s hammer

The lineman’s hammer is traditionally associated with the task of hammering bolts or large screws into materials such as utility poles. It may appear very slight in structure and design but the principle is the same with two rounded hammerheads and a handle designed to absorb shock – often enhanced by rubber grips.

Mechanics hammer

As you might guess, the mechanics hammer is instrumental when looking to remove dents from car panels. The design is very different to a traditional hammer with a metal flat hammerhead complemented by a pointed impact tool. Watching a mechanic remove dents from a car panel is a joy and an art in itself.

Chasing hammer

The design of a chasing hammer is very different from your traditional hammer with a long rounded handle and a hammerhead which consists of a flat impact area and a ball-peen. Used traditionally with metalwork and riveting it offers a good mix of good old fashioned force as well as the ball-peen tool used to sink rivets flat with the surface.

Ball-peen hammer

Also referred to as a machinist hammer the ball-peen hammer is used in metalworking offering a relatively small hammerhead with a flat impact area and a rounded head tool. This is one of many hammers used for tasks such as riveting, offering a one stop tool to punch the rivet into the metal and round it off.

Tinner’s hammer

Forged out of one piece of metal the tinner’s hammer is predominantly used in the metal roofing industry. The hammerhead consists of a slightly bevelled flat head as well and a rounded cross peen. This is perfect for hammering rivets into the roofing and sinking them with the rounded edge.

Prospector’s hammer

More commonly associated with geologists the prospector’s hammer offers both a flat edge hammerhead to break stones and a chiselled type tool for more intricate work. These are the type of hammers you see in films where experts are digging for fossils. They make that breaking and chiselling look so easy!

Toolmaker’s hammer

While obviously associated with toolmakers, the toolmaker’s hammer is also be used in a variety of other environments. While the handle can vary in size and material the hammerhead is exactly the same with a flat impact area and a rounded tool. This is complemented by a magnifying lens placed just below the hammerhead creating an eye catching look.

Dead-blow hammer

Commonly referred to as a type of mallet the dead-blow hammer is perfect for use in relatively tight spaces. It is designed to minimise any damage on the contact area with minimal rebound also assisting where space is at a premium. Consisting of two identical hammerhead tools this type of hammer can be used for a variety of different tasks.

Railroad-spike maul hammer

The railroad-spike maul hammer is a precision made tool used to hammer railroad spikes onto railroad track. The hammerhead itself is relatively thin as is the hammer handle although the design, length of the handle and the hammerhead allow for maximum impact force.

Stone sledgehammer

As the name suggests, the stone sledgehammer is traditionally used to break giant rocks into more manageable pieces. The long handle and relatively small head are perfect when looking to create maximum impact force where precision is not necessarily vital. This is the type of hammer which depends upon brute force.

Blacksmith’s sledgehammer

Like many blacksmith’s tools the blacksmith’s sledgehammer goes back many years and is used to shape pieces of metal such as iron. The large flat metal head and extended handle allow the creation of significant impact force. While there is an emphasis on brute force to shape different pieces of metal there is also a need for precision impact.

Half-hatchet hammer

The half-hatchet hammer is simply a cross between an axe and a hammer affording the user a variety of different options. Sometimes referred to as a rigging axe it can be used in a number of different everyday scenarios.

Trim Hammer

As the name suggests, a trim hammer is more delicate than a traditional nail hammer. These hammers are compact and lightweight and are very popular within the carpentry industry. The polished steel head and smooth texture do not mark the surface when hammering nails flush.

Club hammer

The club hammer is a small version of a sledgehammer where brute force is required to break down masonry, stones and demolition work. It can also be used as an impact tool where you are looking to cut stone/hard metal with a chisel where perhaps precision is not required.

Boiler scaling hammer

The name gives it away because a boiler scaling hammer is a vital element of the toolkit of fitters and welders. The hammerhead is made of a hardened metal with both a horizontal and vertical chisel head which is perfect for the removal of scale from boiler plates. It can also be used in other scenarios.

Piton hammer

Sometimes referred to as a rock climbing hammer the piton hammer is similar in design to a basic metal spike which can be driven into small cracks and crevices as rock climbers ascend a rock face. They may have been around many years but they offer a solid anchor and are one of the most important climbing aids.

Scutch Hammer

The scutch hammer is used in the construction industry, specifically for cutting and chiselling bricks, but this is not your stereotypical hammer. The hammer comes with either a single ended or double ended scutch which allows specific cutting attachments to be used.

Gavel

The gavel hammer has a history which goes back centuries allowing those in control to attract the attention of the crowds. Commonly used by auctioneers, judges and at public meetings this small compact hardwood hammer can certainly demand control of any room!

and finally…. Thor’s Hammer!

Norse mythology goes back centuries and Thor’s hammer was one of the most fearsome weapons available at the time. The hammer is regularly depicted today in cartoons and Norse history although the actual hammer itself is called Mjölnir. While hammers have been used in battles for many years Thor’s hammer has a mystery all of its own.

This is just a selection of the various types of hammers available today because ultimately there will be a hammer for every occasion!

Conclusion

Aren’t you amazed at how many types of hammers there actually are? Many people will be surprised to learn how far back we can trace the use of hammers in their most basic form, i.e. stone, and then moving on to various types of metal. The design, angling and structure of individual hammer are aligned perfectly to create the desired impact force. They are also available in many different materials with some deemed “soft” in comparison to the traditional hard hammerhead.

Even though there are many automatic hammers, and other similar products, available today the good old-fashioned claw hammer and its many compatriots still play a major role in the construction industry and everyday life!

Thoughts from the editor about types of hammers

Thanks Mark – that was a cracking article and you have certainly educated both myself and the readers about various types of hammers that are available in the world. I had no idea that there were so many types of hammers actually out there!

There are also many more types of hammers not covered by this article, and many variants. If you want us to tell you about them let us know. I’m sure we’ve got a “30 more types of hammers” article in us.

So readers, What are your favorite type or types of hammers? We certainly have a few of our own favorite types of hammers at EngineeringClicks! One of my favorite types of hammers personally is the Dead Blow hammer, mainly because of its cool sounding name. Tell us your favorite types of hammers in the comments below.